"In 1956, the CIA dramatically breached the Iron Curtain when its U-2 began overflying Soviet territory to photograph that nation's military installations. Four years later, the Soviets would shoot down pilot Francis Gary Powers and his U-2, thereby ceasing these missions. Within months, however, the CIA had another, and better, technical program in operation - the CORONA satellite. Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the CIA's scientific wizards would continue to devise high-tech ways to collect and analyze information about potential adversaries. Their mission was of such importance that a new branch of the CIA was created - the Directorate of Science and Technology." "In this first full-length study of the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology, author Jeffrey T. Richelson introduces us to key personalities who helped shape the directorate: Edwin Land of Polaroid, Albert Wheelon, Carl Duckett, and others who operated secretly within the directorate such as Antonio Mendez, whose "technical service" skills helped six Americans escape Iran after the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in 1979"--Jacket.

1Unexpected Missions 1 -- 2 False Start 39 -- 3 A New Beginning 67 -- 4 Space Reconnaissance Wars 102 -- 5 Change of Command 131 -- 6 Empire 161 -- 7 Cracks in the Empire 194 -- 8 Breaking Down Barriers 222 -- 9 A New World 243 -- 10 Agile Intelligence 264 -- 11 Uncertain Future 280 -- Appendix 1 DS & T Components 293 -- Appendix 2 DS & T Leadership 295.